Cigarette lighters



June 20, 1967 B. E. STEELY CIGARETTE LIGHTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed F610A 18, 1965 June 20, 1967 B. E. STEELY 3,326,020

CIGRLTTE` LIGHTERS Filed Feb. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 e PUSH FOR 62,63

REMOVAL F IG. 8

United States Patent O 3,326,020 CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Beauford E. Steely, Dallas, Tex., assignor to American Lighter Corporation, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,717 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

This invention relates generally to cigarette lighters and more particularly, but not limited to gaseous fuel of the type that is stored in liquid form.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a cigarette lighter which is extremely simple, compact and economical in construction; and simple, eflicient and fool proof in operation.

Another object is to provide a cigarette lighter which is comprised of only two principal parts, only one of which includes metal operating components, and in which the other principal part is a non-metal fuel container.

An additional object is to provide a fuel container for a cigarette lighter which is in the form of a replaceable cartridge which slips into place in the operational housing without requiring any puncturing or any additional manipulation to open valves.

A still further object is to provide a cigarette lighter which includes an easily replaceable fuel cartridge that may be removed prior to its being exhausted, and may be subsequently reinserted with no additional manipulation required to open or close valves; the transfer port being automatically opened to the burner when the cartridge is inserted in the lighter and being automatically sealed when the cartridge is removed.

And yet another object is to provide a cigarette lighter operation mechanism that is operated entirely by a single short horizontal push in the llongitudinal direction of the lighter case. This short push applied to the starter button engages the gaseous fuel supply with the burner opening and simultaneously supplies the spark to ignite the fuel and simultaneously moves a portion of the case in such a manner as to uncover the combustion chamber adjacent the burner opening; all such movements being accomplished by linear motion from the short horizontal push.

And still another object is to provide a gas lighter of the character described in which the burner opening, the transfer opening, the transfer channel, the ignition actuator, the flame adjustment valve, the flame outlet, and the operation push button mechanism all lie in and adjacent the same common plane in a longitudinal direction of the lighter case. This construction will permit an extremely thin complete lighter assembly to ybe produced.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a replaceable cartridge for a gas lighter in which no mechanical operating valve requiring metal or machined parts is required for the cartridge either when the cartridge is installed in a lighter case or when the cartridge is detached, and where no puncturing of the cartridge is required.

And another object is to provide a translucent or transparent, clear or colored plastic fuel cartridge for a cigarette lighter, wherein one horizontal movement only is needed to install or remove the cartridge on or from the lighter case, and one horizontal movement only is required to operate or extinguish the lighter.

A further object is to provide a cigarette lighter comprised of a metal upper case that manually removably engages a plastic fuel cartridge and wherein the lighter case may be usable with minor modifications for either gaseous or liquid fuel, and wherein the cartridge may be slightly modified or may be used totally interchangeably to contain liquid gas, or liquid fuel.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from an examination of the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the complete cigarette lighter assembly of this invention shown partly in cross-section.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail crosssectional view showing the fuel burner opening, ignition, and flame adjustment valve.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1, but including the flint unit.

FIGURE 4 is a detail perspective view of the lighter case of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the fuel cartridge.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational outline view of the complete cigarette lighter.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the lighter of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the end View of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along the lines 9-9 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE l0 is a cutaway exploded view of one end of the cartridge of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 1l is an outline view of a modified embodiment of the lighter and yfuel transfer tube of FIGURES Referring now more particularly to the characters of `reference on the drawing, it will be observed that the complete cigarette lighter assembly of this invention, identified generally at 2 in FIGURES l and 6, consists of only two separable sub-assemblies, the top case unit 3 and the lower removable cartridge unit 4 which serves as the fuel container.

The top case unit 3 is seen in FIGURES 1 and 4 to comprise an elongated shell-like cover 5, being open at one end to provide U-shaped exposed edges 6, and having cut-out sections defined by edges 7 and 8 at opposite ends. The cover 5 is constructed so as to include inwardly projecting lips 9 for a purpose hereafter described, and to include a plurality of holes 12 adjacent what will be termed the forward end of the lighter case 3. A single larger -hole 13 is located on one side only of the cover near the forward end, and this hole is identified as the flint access opening. An L-shaped transfer tube 14 which may be integral with the cover or separately formed, is supported internally of the cover 5 by horizontal platform member 15. The parts of the case unit 3 thus far described may be termed the stationary parts and each are attached to or integrally formed with the cover 5.

The movable parts of the case 3 are best seen by reference to FIGURES 1-4, and are identified as pusher structure 16, consisting of a push button 17, a bifurcated yoke 1S attached thereto by screw 19, and a coupling 22 supported in a manner to bridge one end of the yoke 18. The yoke 18 together with the push button 17 transmits the push for actuating the other parts. The coupling 22 defines an elongated slot 23 which is aligned upon installation with the burner opening 24 which extendsl radially through a side wall in transfer tube 14 to permit passage of gas fuel from cartridge opening 25 through transfer opening 26 and channel 27 to the burner opening. Surrounding the burner opening 24 is a plastic or rubber washer or O ring or other separable non-metal or valve metal washer 28 which permits resealable sliding action of coupling 22 over the neck portion 29 of tube 14 that includes burner opening 24, without permitting any leak-l age from the opening. The coupling 22 thus covers the burner opening 24 inone of its positions of movement and acts as a burner closer.

Also included in the assemblage of movable parts in case 3 are spring 32 and flame adjuster 33 which threads into the horizontally extending ends of tube 14. Yoke 16 includes an upper arm 34 which on its underside in cludes a rasp section 35 for abrasive action against a int for ignition action in this lighter. The arm 34 is upset or formed so that it cooperates with a similar but reversely formed portion in the top of cover adjacent the edges 8.

When the lighter is not in use, the push button 17 is adjacent the rearward end ofthe lighter 2 as seen in FIGURE 1, and the arm 34 terminates adjacent the forward end of the lighter. However, when push button 17 is moved forward, the arm 34 also moves forward so that its opening 36 coincides with opening 37 in the top o-f the cover 5 and the free end 34A of arm 34 projects beyond the forward end of the lighter as seen in FIGURE 2.

A flint tube42 best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, is installed in flint yhole 13 so as to support flint 43 at an angular engagement with rasp portion 35 of arm 34. The positioning of flint 43 is such that forward horizontal movement of arm 34 will cause rasp portion 35 to generate sparks in direct alignment with burner opening 24. A spring 44, having flat end pieces and held in place by snap plug 13A, permits the flint to be forceably engaged with the rasp portion 35. It will be appreciated that the rasp portion may be so located on arm 34 that it will first engage flint 43 at the instant slot 23 of coupling 22 has begun to uncover the burner opening 24 and openings 36 and 37 have begun to coincide. The rasp portion 35 may be made by serrations formed on the underside of arm 34,

or it may be formed by a coating, plating or deposit of material known to be useful for the purpose of generating sparks when rubbed against flint. One useful material is hardened steel or particles of steel. The fuel transfer channel 27 has the same L-shape as the transfer tube 14. The transfer tube 14 with its internal transfer channel 27 together with the openings 25 and 26 form the means lby which the fuel is transferred from the cartridge to the burner opening. After the channel 27 passes by the burner opening 24, its diameter is larger (27A) to accommodate the plunger portion 46 of flame adjuster 33. O ring 47 prevents leakage of fuel past the burner opening and out the laterally opening end of channel 27. Plunger 46 includes a tapered forward portion 46A and an enlarged threaded portion 46B, and channel 27B represents an enlarged corresponding threaded ybore to receive, retain and permit adjustment of the flame adjuster 33. Channel 27 is enlarged and chamfered at 27C to correspond to portion 46A whereby their coaction permits the fuel passage through channel 27 and out burner opening 24 to be regulated. Adjuster 33 is manipulated from without the case cover 5 by a knurled knob 48.

The area surrounding the burner opening 24 and dened by the walls of cover 5 and shown in FIGURE 3 may be described as a combustion chamber or means, since this defines the space in which the air and fuel cornbine to permit burning to take place as seen in FIG- URE 2.

At the forward end of case 3 and below the platform 15 is located a ygenerally rectangular guide member 49 through Which the lower end of transfer tube 14 projects. Member 49 is dimensioned to provide a sliding fit with the T-slot 52 of cartridge 4. When the case 3 is assembled onto cartridge 4, the case lips 9 will slideably engage cartridge grooves 53 in such a way that the guide member 49 Will exert a downward pressure against the floor 54 of T-slot 52. This action will insure sealing the area of engagement between cartridge opening 25 and transfer opening 26 so that even when the fuel is pressurized butane gas there will be no leakage. The dimensional relationship between the top of guide 49 and the underside 55 of the T-slot 52 adjacent the vertical opening 56 of the T-slot may be relaxed, since a precision fit is not required at that point.

Although the fuel containing cartridge 4 is made preferably in a one piece construction and preferably of a plastic material such as that identified -by they General Electric Company trademark Lexan, it is still desirable to refer to the cartridge individual parts in relation to their function. The upper part of the cartridge may thus be identified as the guide section 4A and the lower part of the cartridge may be referred to as the fuel containing section 4B. The cartridge 4 is made in one embodiment by being pressure molded into the shape shown in FIG- URE 5 and including the opening 26 therein as shown in FIGURE 9. If the fuel to be used is liqueed gas, such `as butane, propane, or any of the known liquifable carbon-hydrogen combinations, the opening 26r will be small, but will still permit filling of the fuel cavity 4C by any well known method. If a conventional liquid fuel is to be used, the opening 26', as well as channel 27', in transfer tube 14 may be made large enough to accommodate -a liquid fuel wick 57 as shown in FIGURE l1. In this embodiment, the wick 57 projects upward through a straight channel 27' and out `burner opening 24', since no lateral channel or adjuster 33 is required. The coupling 22 is used merely as a guide for the pusher structure 16', and a screw 58 yattaches the lateral end of transfer tube 14 to the cover 5 if piece construction is employed. The remainder of the lighter (now 2') is substantially the same as lighter 2 except the relative location of the transfer tube and the openings 36 and 37 will need to be correlated. By enclosing and utilizing the cavity between platform 15 and member 49 as an auxiliary fuel chamber and connecting channel 27' into it and allowing `wick 57 to separately project therein, the opening through cartridge 4 may be the same size as opening 26 in the butane cartridge and thus the gas and fluid cartridges become interchangeable.

When the cartridge 4 or 4 has been filled with fuel, it is sealed by the insertion of a flat rectangular sealing block member 59 which may be madeof neoprene or a plastic material having the requirement that it will provide a seal for opening 25 when slideably engaging Taslot 52. The underside 55 of T-slot 52 adjacent the opening 56 is slightly downwardly tapered so as to contribute to applying pressure to the block 59 upon its installation in- T-slot 52. When the case 3 is installed on the cartridge 4 and the guide mem'ber 49 forces -block 59 rearward in T-slot 52, an ejector member 62 is also slideably moved rearward in T-slot 52 until its vertical end 63 extends to a position Whereat it coincides with the end of cartridge 4. And since the lips 9 terminate short of the end of case 3 as shown at 9A in FIGURE 4, the ejector will forman integral part of the outline of the lighter 2. Lettering to show instructions may optionally be included on the ejector end 63.

The case 3 and cartridge 4 may be assembled with a single horizontal movement and may be disassembled by two short horizontal movements. The lips 9 of the cover 5 are aligned in grooves 53 of the cartridge 4 and the case is moved along the top of the cartridge until guide member 49 aligns with T-slot 52 whereupon the end of member 49 engages the end of sealing block 59. The lips 9 and grooves 53 `thus form cooperating mating parts in this assembly operation. Continued horizontal force applied to the case will cause members 49 and 59 and ejector 62 to all move in T-slot 52 until the forward cover lip is flush with the forward edge of the cartridge and at this point the rearward end 63 of ejector 62 is flush with the rearward end of the cartridge. VThe tting engagement between the sliding case parts and cartridge parts is such that a deliberate and forceful push is required to assemble or disassemble the case and cartridge.

On the other hand, only a slight short push is required to strike the flint and uncover the burner opening and the case opening to ignite the fuel. Once ignited the push button 17 is held depressed as long as the lighter is in use. Once the push button is released, spring 32 returns the pusher structure to its original position and recloses the opening in the case.

As noted in FIGURE 11, the cigarette lighter of this invention may be made in two functional styles, i,e., as a gas lighter or as a liquid fuel lighter with only a Very few different parts and with a great many interchangeable parts.

A cup shaped flame suppressor or snuffer 65 may be employed on coupling 22 to fully extinguish flame from wick 57, and to prevent evaporation between usages.

An additional feature that will permit the use of metal for member 49 and will permit greater manufacturing tolerances in the lighter construction, an O ring 66 has been installed in an annular groove around cartridge opening 25 in a manner similar to the seal around the burner opening 24. The O ring may thus be used in conjunction with or in place of sealing block 59.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced a device which substantially fulfills the objects of this invention as set forth herein. The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may -be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette lighter comprising:

a case;

a fuel container associated with the case;

ignition means in the case to ignite fuel from the fuel container;

transfer means adapted to direct fuel to the vicinity of the ignition means;

the transfer means including a tube having a side wall and including an exterior, the tube having a burner opening in the side wall thereof;

a burner closer closely surrounding the exterior of the tube and being movable in one direction to slidably close and in another direction to slidably expose the burner opening while in continuous contact with the tube exterior; and

actuator means to selectively cause the burner closer to move in the desired direction.

2. A cigarette lighter comprising:

a case;

a removable fuel cartridge associated with the case;

transfer means between the case and cartridge;

ignition means in the case adapted to ignite the fuel from the cartridge;

said transfer means being adapted to direct fuel to the vicinity of said ignition means;

resealable means between the cartridge and the case, the resealable means being adapted to be linearly moved `to close the transfer means between the case and the cartridge; and

the resealable means comprising a separate piece slidable sealing block member having a at side adjacent the cartridge and being automatically moved to close the transfer means responsive to removal of the case from the cartridge.

3. A cigarette lighter, comprising:

a case;

a fuel cartridge associated with the case;

transfer means between the case and the cartridge;

the transfer means including a tube structure;

ignition means in the case adapted to ignite fuel from the fuel cartridge;

combustion means in the case;

the transfer means directing combustible fuel to the vicinity of the ignition means;

cover means to cover at least a portion of the combustion means;

the tube structure defining a burner opening located in the combustion means;

a burner closer means normally closing said burner opening;

actuator means for actuating the cover means for exposing at least a portion of the combustion means and for actuating said burner closer means and for actuating said ignition means; and

the cartridge in the case including matching horizontally extending mating parts whereby the case may be installed on the cartridge by a horizontal movement.

4. A cigarette lighter comprising:

a case;

a fuel cartridge associated with the case;

transfer means between the case and the cartridge;

a transfer structure in the transfer means;

ignition means in the case adapted to ignite fuel from the fuel cartridge;

combustion means in said case;

said transfer means being adapted to direct combustible fuel to the vicinity of said ignition means;

cover means to cover at least a portion of said combustion means;

a transfer structure defining a burner opening in the combustion means;

a burner closer means normally closing said burner opening;

actuator means for actuating said cover means for exposing at least a portion of said combustion means and for actuating said vburner closer means and for actuating said ignition means;

the cartridge including a fiat fuel transfer opening seal;

and

the cartridge and the case including matching parts whereby the case may be installed on the cartridge by horizontal movement of the case and transfer opening seal when the matching parts are aligned.

5. A gas type cigarette lighter comprising:

a case;

a cooperating liquiiied gas fuel cartridge;

transfer means between the case and the cartridge;

the case having a channel therein and t-he cartridge having a cooperating channel combining to form a path in said transfer means;

ignition means including a horizontally movable flint striking structure in said case to ignite fuel from said cartridge;

combustion means in said case;

said transfer means being adapted to direct combustible fuel to the Vicinity of said ignition means;

cover means for closing said combustion means;

a tube defining a burner opening located in said cornbustion means;

a burner closer coupling closely surrounding the tube and normally closing said burner opening;

actuating means for actuating said cover means for exposing said combustion means and for actuating said burner closer coupling to open and close said burner opening and for horizontally moving said int structure of said ignition means;

a push button in said actuator means for linear actuation by an operator; and

means for rigidly connecting said cover, said burner closer coupling, and said flint striking structure for permitting their simultaneous and linear movement in response to movement of said push button.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,908 5/1932 Aronson 67--7.1 2,672,037 3/ 1954 Peterson 67-7.1 2,892,333 6/1959 Fuerst 67-7.1 2,986,026 5/ 1961 Lockwood 67--7.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 16,253 7/ 1912 Denmark. 973,878 9/1950 France. 582,508 11/ 1946 Great Britain.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CIGARETTE LIGHTER COMPRISING: A CASE; A FUEL CONTAINER ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE; IGNITION MEANS IN THE CASE TO IGNITE FUEL FROM THE FUEL CONTAINER; TRANSFER MEANS ADAPTED TO DIRECT FUEL TO THE VICINITY OF THE IGNITION MEANS; THE TRANSFER MEANS INCLUDING A TUBE HAVING A SIDE WALL AND INCLUDING AN EXTERIOR, THE TUBE HAVING A BURNER OPENING IN THE SIDE WALL THEREOF; A BURNER CLOSER CLOSELY SURROUNDING THE EXTERIOR OF THE TUBE AND BEING MOVABLE IN ONE DIRECTION TO SLIDABLY CLOSE AND IN ANOTHER DIRECTION TO SLIDABLY EXPOSE THE BURNER OPENING WHILE IN CONTINUOUS CONTACT WITH THE TUBE EXTERIOR; AND ACTUATOR MEANS TO SELECTIVELY CAUSE THE BURNER CLOSER TO MOVE IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION. 